Sherk keeps belt, BJ vs Joe Daddy for interim belt

Friday, Nov 2, 2007 2:24 pm EDT
Sean Sherk is going to remain the UFC's lightweight champion, but B.J. Penn and Joe Stevenson will fight for a lightweight belt at UFC 80 in January in Newcastle, England, UFC president Dana White said Friday.

White said he's not going to strip Sherk of his lightweight championship because he is fed up with the California Athletic Commission's handling of Sherk's steroids case.

Sherk tested positive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone following his successful title defense on July 7 at UFC 73 in Sacramento, Calif., over Hermes Franca. The California Athletic Commission fined Sherk $2,500 and suspended him for a year.

Sherk, though, denied taking steroids and appealed. His hearing was to have been on Wednesday, but it was postponed until Nov. 13 when members of the California commission realized they had not received the 17-page brief attorney Howard Jacobs had submitted on Sherk's behalf.

White had vowed to strip Sherk of the title, but said Friday that he no longer plans to do so.

"The way this whole thing has been handled has been a mess," White said.

He said Penn and Stevenson, who said he learned on Tuesday that he and his wife will have another son, will fight for the interim title as the main event of UFC 80 in Newcastle, England, likely on Jan. 19.

The winner of that bout would then presumably face Sherk once Sherk's status is defined by the commission.

White said heavyweights Gabriel Gonzaga and Fabricio Werdum would meet in the co-main on UFC 80.

"If the commission deems Sherk's sample contained banned substances, Jacobs will argue it could have resulted from the many supplements the Minneapolis-based fighter ingested leading up to the fight.

Seven tests totaling $3,000 were conducted on supplements Sherk took before his bout against Hermes Franca (Pictures). One such product was the Xyience-branded "Xyience Xtreme Joint Formula." Five capsules were analyzed according to a report supplied by Don H. Catlin, M.D., president and CEO of Anti-Doping Research, Inc.

"No anabolic steroids were detected in four of the capsules," Catlin wrote. "In one capsule 1-androstendione was identified."
As for the one capsule of "Xyience Xtreme Joint Formula" in which 1-androstendione was identified, the company said it has halted all shipments of the product until it can conduct independent testing by a certified lab.

"While we are confident that Xyience products do not contain anabolic agents or any illegal substances," said Susan Wierzbicki, Director of Quality Assurance, Xyience, "we are taking this report very seriously."

Jacobs explained that it was only his intention to show over-the-counter supplements can be contaminated.

In this case, the supplement company is a major advertiser for Ultimate Fighting Championship events and just announced a three-year extension with the MMA promoter on Oct. 13; it also sponsored Sherk before the two parted ways over money issues.

In addition to the alleged testing irregularities and potential supplement contamination, Sherk also submitted himself to a polygraph test.

"It's not the central part of the case, but I think it's important given that it's not, in my view, a strict liability standard," Jacobs said. "You have to weigh the evidence. You have one test that's their urine test and you have a polygraph on the other side. If they have to prove he used a drug or administered a drug, the fact that he was found to be truthful when he said he didn't use it should be relevant."

The commission is slated to rule on the admissibility of a polygraph examination within a week.

Having just completed his process with the commission, Baroni said he will watch closely as Sherk's drama plays out.

"I would like to see him get vindicated," Baroni said of the lightweight. "That would almost be like me winning. I know I didn't do it and I believe he didn't do it." "

Sherk will be stripped of the title if CSAC finds him guilty. As for the contamination while it stated they found 1-androstendione, they didn't list in what amount. It's probably a minute amount that wouldn't cause a false positive.

Penn is probably the most talented fighter in the LW div but his conditioning sucks. If he were to improve upon that he would likely dominate. But as it stands I would see Sherk getting the decision.

And I guess there's some Minnesota nut-huggers here. Nothing wrong with that though and I like Nick Thompson and his Almost Nobody Beats Me motto.

Penn will do Sherk worse than GSP did Sherk. Sorry Savage. If the fight happens I think we should bet again, assuming you're willing to bet on your boy.

You could not possibly be more wrong. Penn is so much smaller and weaker than GSP. There is no possible way be will put a beating on Sherk. Penn better submit Sherk in the first round or he will lose. We all know BJ can only fight one or two rounds.

I don't know. Is Sherk better than Hughes at his weight class? BJ will light Sherk up on his feet and has pretty damn good takedown defense (see the Hughes II fight). Even if Sean gets him down, he's not safe by any means. BJ's just dangerous as hell and Sherk won't finish him. His cardio (in theory) should be better at 155. Penn does seem somewhat mentally weak or lacking focus. Sherk will have to push the pace to try and wear BJ out to grind a decision. I'd still pick Penn.

You could not possibly be more wrong. Penn is so much smaller and weaker than GSP. There is no possible way be will put a beating on Sherk. Penn better submit Sherk in the first round or he will lose. We all know BJ can only fight one or two rounds.

Just messin with ya Norris. Figured I would give you a little taste of your own medicine, abrasiveness elixir. I don't know though, Penn pretty much manhandled Hughes, so did GSP though. Couture trained with Penn and says it is unbelievable how strong he is and that he had a lot of trouble taking him down and could not keep him down. Penn doesn't look like much, he's a freak of nature.

Just messin with ya Norris. Figured I would give you a little taste of your own medicine, abrasiveness elixir. I don't know though, Penn pretty much manhandled Hughes, so did GSP though. Couture trained with Penn and says it is unbelievable how strong he is and that he had a lot of trouble taking him down and could not keep him down. Penn doesn't look like much, he's a freak of nature.

Agreed. penn i think now will be able to go 5 rounds, now he got his own personal trainer for cardio and diets he is fine, penn is umm lets see his nick name a prodigy!!! he will take sherk out no problem.

I think if Sherk survives the first two rounds (and he can, he just has to make sure he doesn't do stupid things like getting caught in a guillotine during a takedown because Penn can finish those), then he takes the decision or TKO.

There's no way Penn can match Sherk's intensity. That is pretty much a given.

The question is- can Sherk avoid potentially very costly mistakes during the first couple of rounds? If he can (and I think he will), then he takes it. If not, Penn is the first to submit him.

You could not possibly be more wrong. Penn is so much smaller and weaker than GSP. There is no possible way be will put a beating on Sherk. Penn better submit Sherk in the first round or he will lose. We all know BJ can only fight one or two rounds.

If i recall correctly... GSP barely won a decision over Penn when they fought. Penn didn't get manhandled by GSP... in fact looking at both their faces at the end of the fight, you would have though Penn won.

Penn got into shape for Pulver, bet he will again for a title fight. BJ has to know it's time to put the stamina with the Phenom skills and cash in on a championship. It's overdue, he'll do it.

Sherk has never been subbed, but BJ is the man to do it. Sherk can't close it out on the ground and Penn can wrap those hyperflex limbs around the Shark and end it. He may not KO Sean, that Minnesota Mighty Mini Me has a rock head, but I'll bet he bruises and bloodies his face up.

I think if Sherk survives the first two rounds (and he can, he just has to make sure he doesn't do stupid things like getting caught in a guillotine during a takedown because Penn can finish those), then he takes the decision or TKO.

There's no way Penn can match Sherk's intensity. That is pretty much a given.

The question is- can Sherk avoid potentially very costly mistakes during the first couple of rounds? If he can (and I think he will), then he takes it. If not, Penn is the first to submit him.

I will accept your challenge, Alex, when the time draws near!

Another factor will be- which Sherk shows up? The pre-champion Sherk who lays it all on the line and fights with extreme ferocity, or the champion Sherk, who does just enough to win decisions to protect the belt?

I actually think this is the one time that champion Sherk needs to show up, believe it or not.

I think that he'd be better off playing it safe against someone as dangerous as BJ. Minimal sub attempts until the end of the round. I would like to see some solid GnP and those elbows that he had against Radach. That's a pretty safe technique any way.